Liquid delivery system for photographic recording apparatus

ABSTRACT

A DOCUMENT COPIER FOR EXPOSING AND PROCESSING WITH A LIQUID, SUCCESSIVE SECTIONS OF A PHOTOSENSITIVE SHEET SUPPLIED IN A CASSETTE ALONG WITH A CONTAINER OF PROCESSING LIQUID. THE COPIER INCLUDES A HOLLOW NEEDLE FOR PENETRATING AN EXTENDED SECTION OF THE LIQUID CONTAINER FOR WITHDRAWING PROCESSING LIQUID FROM THE CONTAINER FOR DELIVERY TO AN APPLICATOR. THE NEEDLE IS SURROUNDED BY A PROTECTIVE COLLAR ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED IN A RECESS IN THE CASSETTE AND TO RECEIVE THE EXTENDED SECTION OF THE LIQUID CONTAINER FOR GUIDING THE SECTION OF THE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE NEEDLE.

3,565,525 LIQUID DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC 'RECORDI'NG APPARATUS Filed 0050.1. 1968 J. R. SHARP -Feb.23 ,1971

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ATTORNEYS J. R. SHARP Feb. 23, 19,71

LIQUID DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. l, I 1968 INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,565,525 LIQUID DELIVERY SYSTEM FOR PHOTOGRAPI-HC RECORDING APPARATUS John R. Sharp, Quincy, Mass., assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 1, 1968, Ser. No. 764,065 Int. Cl. G03d 5/02 U.S. Cl. 355-27 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention is directed to a photographic document copier, particularly of the type wherein a coil of image-recording sheet material contained within a cassette is fed into the copier wherein successive areas of the sheet are exposed. A liquid is then applied to the surface of the exposed area to effect visible image formation thereon by a diffusion transfer process.

The photographic apparatus, i.e., the copier, incorporating the present invention includes areservoir for holding the processing liquid which is applied to the photosensitive material following exposure thereof in the apparatus of the sheet material. The liquid supply must be replenished as used up and thus a supply of the liquid must be readily available. A preferred means for supplying the liquid comprises containing the liquid within a cassette which also holds the photosensitive material. Such an arrangement avoids separate handling of the liquid in bottles, or the like, and insures that the user will always have a supply of liquid to process the photosensitive material within the cassette. The liquid is held in a receptacle Within the casette and means on the apparatus are provided to remove the liquid from the receptacle and transport it to the liquid reservoir.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the liquid is held in a receptacle having an opening with a spout seated therein and an elastomeric closure which closes off said spout. For removing of the liquid the document copier has positioned thereon a means for penetrating said closure and for transporting the processing liquid into the reservoir within the copier. One means for penetrating the liquid containing receptacle closure comprises a hollow needle and hollow fluid carrying tubing connected thereto whereby the needle pierces the elastomeric closure and the liquid flows through the needle and tubing and into said copier reservoir. The elastomeric closure is of the self-sealing type so that if the cassette is removed withdrawing the needle from the closure the liquid will remain sealed in the receptacle for future use. A liquid flow regulator may also be provided in the tubing path for controlling the rate of flow of the liquid into the reservoir.

While the invention as described in the preferred embodiment is directed to a receptacle for liquid contained within a cassette it should be apparent that the liquid may be supplied in a separate container which has thereon self-sealing, penetrable closure means which may be pierced by a hollow needle to withdraw the liquid and deliver it for use wherever desired.

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Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide photographic apparatus having positioned thereon a means for withdrawing liquid from a receptacle enclosed within a cassette and for delivering said liquid for processing use in said apparatus.

It is another object of this invention to provide apparatus for storing liquid within a container and withdrawing the liquid therefrom and delivering it for use elsewhere.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and ararngement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

'FIG. '1 is a sectional elevational view of photographic document copying apparatus embodying the invention and the cassette in feeding position thereon; and

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the processing liquid removing means of the copier in cooperative relationship with the liquid container wthin the cassette.

One embodment of a document copier which may be modified according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1 and described in detail in copending US. patent application Ser. No. 722,853, assigned to the same assignee as the present application. Generally, the copier includes an exposure system 10 including light source means 12, lens means 14 and a transparent window 16 upon which the original document to be copied is placed. The lens means 14 directs an image of the document to reflecting means 18 which direct the image to the photosensitive sheet material 20 which is held against platen 22 of the sheet material transport system 24. The sheet transport means 24 includes a vacuum chamber 26 with openings 28 through the platen which serve to hold the sheet material 20' in a flat plane as it is transported by means of a perforated belt 30 driven by drive rollers 32, 34, 36 and 37.

A processing station 38 applies the processing liquid 40 contained in reservoir 39 to the sheet material by means of roller 42 as the sheet material passes thereover in its path of travel. Drive rollers 44 and 46 serve to drive the sheet material over roller 42 and back onto the belt 30. Finally the sheet material 20 is transported onto drum drying means 48 wherein a heated platen 50 applies heat to the material as it is driven around rotating drum 52 and into delivery station 54.

Feed means 56 are shown in FIG. 1 positioned in the cassette receiving chamber 58. The chamber has an opening 60 therein through which the sheet material 20 may be fed into the sheet transport system of the copier. The feed means 56 comprise a pair of rollers 62 and 64 of which at least one is driven and means are provided which move the rollers into engagement with the sheet material 20 as it leaves the cassette 66.

Cutoff means are provided in the copier for severing each copy from the continuous processing sheet for delivery to the user. To accomplish this a photocell 59 is placed relative to a light source 61 within said transport system 24 so that the leading edge of the processing material interrupts the light beam from said light source completing a circuit to a solenoid, not shown, which actuates a knife 6 for severing said copy from the continuous sheet. A holddown means 65 holds the end portion of sheet material 20 in proper position for exposure as described in the aforementioned application Ser. No. 722,853.

The cassette 66 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has supported therein a receptacle 70 for containing the processing liquid 40' for use in the copier. The receptacle 70 is preferably a collapsible bag which is received in a sealed compartment of the cassette as shown in U.S. applicaiton Ser. No. (Case No. 3766) filed herewith. The bag is made so that as it is emptied of fluid the atmospheric pressure collapses the bag preventing a vacuum from forming inside which would restrict the flow of fluid therefrom. If the receptacle is not collapsible it may be vented to allow air to enter and equalize the pressure inside and outside the container. Closure means including a projection 74 which may serve as a spout is positioned in receptacle 7 (l and a self-sealing, penetrable elastomeric member 76 seals the liquid in the receptacle. By penetrable, it is meant to describe a material which may be penetrated by a sharp instrument or the like without unreasonable force. The term self-sealing refers to the property of an elastomeric material, or the like, which enables it to close a hole such as made by a sharp instrument when withdrawn. When the receptacle 70* is placed in its compartment in the cassette the projection 74 is inserted through an opening 78 in the compartment wall as shown in FIG. 2. I

In order to penetrate the member 76 which seals the liquid within receptacle 70 there is mounted on the copier, according to the present invention, a hollow needle 80 which is entirely external to the cassette but is positioned such that it is in cooperative relationship therewith when the cassette is in its sheet material feeding position. More specifically, the needle 80 is positioned so that as the cassette is placed in proper sheet material feeding position the closure will be placed directly over said needle and a slight downward pressure will cause said needle to penetrate the member 76 and extend into the body of liquid 40. To provide further guiding means to insure that the needle is exactly aligned with said member 76 a recess 82 as shown in FIG. 2 is provided in said cassette wall surrounding the projection 74. The needle 80 is surrounded by raised wall portion 84 which is received in said recess 82 when said cassette is in its proper feeding position. The outer wall 86 of the raised wall portion 84 fits in sliding engagement within recess 82 and the inner wall 88 of raised wall portion 84 receives the projection 74 within. Thus the needle 80 will be automatically aligned to puncture the exact center of the member 76. If the cassette is removed for any reason from the copier and then placed therein again this arrangement insures that the needle will merely open the original puncture in the member 7 6 and not cause multiple punctures which may cause leakage.

The needle 80 is shown as puncturing the member 76 and the liquid 40 flows through the needle into the tubing 90 which carries it to the liquid reservoir 39 shown as part of the liquid applying station 38 in the copier in FIG. 1. A control valve 92 controls the amount of liquid allowed to flow into reservoir 39. If the cassette is removed from its feeding'position the self-sealing stopper will seal the liquid in receptacle 70 until ready again for use. If the compartment containing the receptacle within the cassette is properly sealed a barrier will exist between the compartment and the rest of the cassette interior thus allowing the collapsible receptacle 70 to be formed of any plastic material such as polyethylene so long as it is strong enough not to break if the cassette is dropped, for example. However,

if the compartment seal is not perfect, it may be desirable to laminate a metal foil barrier into the wall portion of the receptacle 70 or surround the receptacle with such a foil barrier. To further insure against breakage of the receptacle, it may also be surrounded by a metal or cardboard box within the compartment.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is: 1. In photographic apparatus for exposing and processing photosensitive sheet material with a processing liquid supplied together with the sheet material in a cassette having a receptacle therein containing said processing liquid and a recessed opening providing access to said receptacle, said apparatus including means for withdrawing photosensitive sheet material from a cassette and exposing said sheet material to form an image therein and a processing station including an applicator for applying processing liquid to a photosensitive sheet following exposure thereof, the improvement comprising:

liquid delivery means for withdrawing liquid from the receptacle of a cassette and delivering said liquid to said applicator, said liquid delivery means comprising, in combination: 1

a hollow needle for penetrating an extended section of the processing liquid-containing receptacle of a cassette during introductory movement of said cassette into said apparatus;

means for conducting said liquid from said needle to said applicator; and

means for protecting said needle against damage and guiding the extended section of the receptacle of a cassette into penetrating engagement with said needle during the introductory movement of said cassette while preventing damage to said needle by improper engagement with said extended section;

the last-mentioned means including a raised wall portion in the form of a collar surrounding and spaced from said needle and providing a recess in which said needle is contained, said collar being adapted to extend into said recessed opening in a cassette and said recess containing said needle being adapted to receive the extended section of a receptacle contained in a cassette, for guiding the extended section into penetrating engagement with the said needle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1962 Speas -1- 22288X 6/1963 Butler 222-88X 1/1'96-8 Hoffman et al. 355-10X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,252,186 12/1960 France 95--94 US. 01. X.R. 

